Garment carrier



Aug. 15, 1967 J. SWIRLES GARMENT CARRIER Filed April 2'7, 1966 INVENTOR [00/55 J 5W/kLE5 BY 4 w Z I ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1967 J SWlRLEg 3,335,825

GARMENT CARRIER Filed April 27, 1966 INVENTOR W ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,335,826 GARMENT CARRIER Louise J. Swirles, 318 Sterling Road, Kenilworth, Ill. 60043 Filed Apr. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 545,643 8 Claims. (Cl. 190-43) This invention relates generally to a garment carrier and more specifically to a garment carrier having a carrier frame for accommodating hangers in a locked carrying position and automatically unlocked when suspended in an access position or hanging position. The garment carrier may also be of the foldable type having a side entrance such as a zipper flap to facilitate selective insertion and withdrawal of clothes.

Garment carriers may be described as a class of luggage specifically designed to accommodate clothes in a wrinklefree condition so that the clothes at all times will be in a condition suitable for immediate use.

Garment carriers have been identified by a diverse assortment of descriptive names such as travelling bags, portable wardrobe, etc., but all are generally characterized as flexible, lightweight, durable and are commonly adaptable to a folded carrying position and an extendable hanging position. A support bar disposed within the garment carrier sustains clothes hangers which carry the clothes accommodated within the garment carrier. The ability of the garment carrier to achieve its principal function, that is, to accommodate clothes in a wrinklefree condition, depends to a large extent upon the configuration of the support bar and the manner in which the clothes hangers cooperate therewith.

One of the difiiculties experienced with the presently known devices is that the clothes hangers become dislodged from the support bar during transit causing the clothes to crumple to the bottom of the garment carrier. Further, with conventional bags having a front opening, it is virtually impossible to remove a garment on a selective basis.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide an improved garment carrier for accommodating clothes in a wrinkle-free condition and having improved access means for removing garments on a selective basis.

Another object of my invention is to provide a support bar in a garment carrier to selectively carry clothes hangers in a fixed non-removable position.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which an exemplary form of the invention is illustrated.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the garment carrier in its extended hanging position, the form which it assumes when hung in a hanging position for 'access to its contents.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the garment carrier in its folded portable position.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line IIIIII of FIGURE 1, showing the manner in which the clothes are accommodated within the garment carrier.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the carrier as shown in FIGURE 1 but showing the suspension hooks in a collapsed position and taken along line IVIV of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line VV of FIGURE 3 and shows the support mechanism in relation to the garment carrier body and suspension hooks.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts 3,335,826 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 broken away and showing additional details of the support bar and latching bar.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view similar to the view of FIGURE 5 but shows the interaction of the suspension hook and latching bar in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIIIVIII of FIGURE 7, and showing a side view of the suspension hook in relation to the support bar and latching bar.

As shown on the drawings:

While the principles of the present invention are generally applicable to other types of luggage or other clothes storage facilities, a particular useful application is made to a foldable garment carrier. Accordingly, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a garment carrier embodying the principles of the present invention, and show the garment carrier in its two adaptable positions.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, a garment carrier 10 is shown in its extended hanging position in the form in which the garment carrier assumes when hung, as for example, in a position affording access to the contents thereof. A body 11 is provided of a general box-like configuration and forms a vertical clothes wardrobe having a top wall 12, a bottom wall 13, -a front wall 14, a back wall 15 and side walls 16 and 17. The walls 12-17 completely envelop an interior compartment. The body 11 may be made of tightly woven cotton or other suitably flexible sheet from material such as plastic. In order to give the body sufiicient rigidity to sustain its shape, reinforcement beads may be supplied at the edges as shown at 18 and 19.

In accordance with this invention the interior clothes compartment is accessible through a side foldable flap 20 which is opened and closed by means of a zipper 21. A plurality of suspension hooks 22 are pivotally mounted on a metal reinforcement plate 23 which in turn is attached to the top wall 12. The suspension books 22 are pivotable to an erect position as shown in FIGURE 1 and to a collapsed position as best seen in FIGURE 4. The suspension hooks 22 are held in the collapsed position by means of foldaway tabs 24. The tabs 24 are affixed to the body top wall 12 as at 25 and overlap the collapsed suspension hooks 22 and snap into fasteners 26. In the erect position of the suspension hooks, the tabs 25 foldaway as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 the garment carrier is shown in its folded portable position assuming the general configuration of a suitcase. In adapting the garment carrier from the extended position as shown in FIGURE 1 to the folded position as shown in FIGURE 2, the body 11 is pivoted about a reinforced section 128 situated on the body back wall 15. In the folded position the body top wall 12 is fastened to the body bottom wall 13 by means of one or more side latches, as shown at 29. A carrying handle 30 is disposed on the body front wall 14 and may be grasped for carrying the garment carrier in its folded position.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the manner in which garments are accommodated within the garment carrier 10. A plurality of clothes hangers 31 carry garments shown at 32 and are suspended from a horizontal support bar 33. As indicated the foldaway flap 20 disposed in the side of the garment carrier 16 and transversely with respect to the horizontal support bar 33, facilitates the selection and withdrawal of clothes accommodated therein, regardless of disposition within the interior of the carrier 10.

Referring more specifically to FIGURE 5, the support mechanism in general includes a support bar 33, and a pair of latching bars 34, carried by the support bar 33. A bias spring 35 separates the latching bars 34 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The

support mechanism cooperates with the suspension hooks 22 to latch the clothes accommodated thereon in a fixed non-removable position.

The support bar 33 is connected to the body top wall 12 by means of a pair of rods disposed at each end of the support bar 33. The rods 36 have ends 37 and 38 which are connected to the body top 12 and support bars 33, respectively, by means of rivet sets as shown at 37a and 38a respectively.

As best seen in FIGURE 6 the support bar 33 is a channel member of U-shaped cross-section and has a pair of integral upright parallel walls 38 and 39. Formed in the respective walls and at spaced intervals are a plurality of slots 40. The slots 40 of the wall 38 are aligned with the slots of the Wall 39 and form a pair of aligned slots. The aligned slots are particularly sized to receive the hook portions of the individual clothes hangers 31. The individual clothes hangers 31 are carried on flat portions 41 of the slots and are prevented from moving coaxially with respect to the support bar by means of vertical shoulders 42. The latching bar 34 is carried by the U-shaped support bar 33 and between the parallel walls 38 and 39. The latching bar 34 has formed thereon a pinrality of jaw members 43 corresponding to each of the pairs of aligned slots 39 and 40.

As shown in FIGURE 8, the suspension hooks 22 are pivotally connected to the reinforcement plate 23 by means of a .pair of brackets 44 and 45 and a pin 46. A loop portion 47 of the suspension hook .22 encircles the pin 46 providing a connection which permits pivoting about the pin 46 as well as a connection for suspending the garment carrier 10. A lever 48 integral with the suspension hook 23 extends into the interior of the garment carrier body 11 and is adapted for engagement with a lug 49 formed on the latch bar 34.

The operation of the support mechanism can best be described as reference to FIGURES 6 and 7 taken in conjunction with FIGURE 5.

In the folded portable position of the garment carrier as shown in FIGURE 2, the suspension books 22 occupy their collapsed position as best seen in FIGURE 4. In the collapsed position the lever 48 is received by a recess 50 formed in the body top 12. The bias spring 35 which separates the pair of latching bars 34 biases the latching bars in opposed direction along the support bar causing the jaw members 43 to traverse the slots 40 at a point above the clothes hangers 31 accommodated therein. Thus, the clothes hangers are held in the slots 39 in a fixed non-removable position preventing dislodgment during transit.

Upon pivoting the suspension hooks 22 from the collapsed dotted line position of FIGURE 7 to the erect full line position of FIGURE 7 as would occur when the garment carrier is opened to its extended position for hanging in a clothes closet, the levers 4-8 respectively engage the corresponding legs 49 forcing the latching bars together and compressing the bias spring 35. In the fully erect position of the suspension books 22, the jaw members 43 are forced clear the hanger slots 40 permitting the clothes hangers 31 to be freely withdrawn.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folda'ble garment carrier having a support bar for receiving the hooks of garment hangers on one wall thereof the improvement of a latching means for locking the garment hangers on the said support bar, and

a suspension hook pivotable between an active position and an inactive position and including means connected to said latching means for automatically unlatching the same whenever the hook is moved to said active position.

2. A garment carrier comprising top, bottom and side walls together with one another forming a box-like enclosure,

a support mechanism connected to said top wall and including a support bar having a plurality of spaced slots for receiving garment hangers,

a latching bar slidably carried by said support bar and having jaw members for closing said slots to lock the garment hangers in the slots, and

actuating means for operating said latching 'bar and including a suspension hook pivotally mounted on said top wall and having a lever drivingly connected to said latching bar for unlatching said jaw members when said suspension hook is moved to an active position.

3. A garment carrier comprising:

a flexible body enclosing an interior compartment for accommodating clothes therein and movable to a folded carrying position and an extended hanging position,

a channel member disposed within said interior compartment and having formed thereon means for selectively lodging clothes hanger loops in a fixed po sition relative thereto,

a latching member movably mounted on said channel member and actuatable to a latched position thereby latching said clothes hanger loops in a fixed nonrcmova'ble position relative to said channel member, and an unlatched position thereby permitting removal and insertion of clothes hanger loops with respect to said channel member,

a suspension member pivotally mounted on said body for suspending said body, and pivotable to an erect position and a collapsed position relative to said body, and

means for actuating said latching member to said latched position and said unlatched position, said means actuatable in response to pivotal movement of said suspension member.

4. A garment carrier as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by one of said side walls having an access opening formed thereon in registry with said slots to afliord selective removal of garments from the interior of said carrier.

5. A garment carrier as defined in claim 4 where said access opening includes a Zippered foldaway flap.

6. A garment carrier as defined in claim 2 wherein said support mechanism includes an elongated bar horizontally disposed in said body,

said elongated bar having formed thereon at spaced intervals slots for receiving and carrying said clothes hangers, said slots having an entrance and a carrying surface,

a latching bar movably supported by said elongated bar,

said bar movable to a latched and unlatched position with respect to said slots,

a first actuating means for moving said latch to said latched position to close said entrance to said slots thereby lodging said clothes hangers accommodated therein in a fixed non-removable position relative to said elongated bar,

a second actuating means for moving said latching bar to said unlatched position to open said entrance to said slots, thereby permitting clothes hangers to be removed or inserted in said slots, and

said first and said second actuating means actuatable responsive to said position of said body.

7. A garment carrier as defined in claim 6 wherein said elongated bar is of general U-shaped cross-section having 5 6 two integral upright parallel walls, a latching means for locking the garment hangers on said walls having formed thereon at spaced intervals the said support bar, and

a plurality of grooves, a suspension hook pivotable between an active upright said grooves on one of said walls cooperatively aligned position f suspending Said b and an inactive with said grooves on the other of said walls forming slots for accommodating clothes hangers thereon,

said latching bar movably mounted between said parallel walls and having jaw members cooperatively adapted to corresponding slots so that movement of said latching bar to said latching position causes 10 said jaws to traverse said slots at a point above said clothes hanger loops and movement of said latching sition wherein said hook is retracted adjacent said support bar, and including means connected to said latching means for automatically unlatching the same whenever the hook is moved to said active position.

References Cited bar to said unlatched position causes the jaws to be UNITED STATES PATENTS removed from said slots. 3,221,848 12/ 1965 ONeil 190-43 8. A support means for receiving the hooks of garment 15 3,228,738 1/ 1966 Koflier -43 XR hangers and comprising:

a support bar, FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FOLDABLE GARMENT CARRIER HAVING A SUPPORT BAR FOR RECEIVING THE HOOKS OF GARMENT HANGERS ON ONE WALL THEREOF THE IMPROVEMENT OF A LATCHING MEANS FOR LOCKING THE GARMENT HANGERS ON THE SAID SUPPORT BAR, AND A SUSPENSION HOOK PIVOTABLE BETWEEN AN ACTIVE POSITION AND AN INACTIVE POSITION AND INCLUDING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LATCHING MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY UNLATCHING THE SAME WHENEVER THE HOOK IS MOVED TO SAID ACTIVE POSITION. 